Robert Mueller Is Resigning and Closing the Special Counsel's Office

Robert Mueller III, who has led the Justice Department's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, officially resigned on Wednesday.

The press conference announcing his resignation was his first time speaking publicly since he began the probe more than two years ago.

Mueller openly disagreed with Attorney General William Barr's characterization of the recently released -- and redacted -- report, which is over 400 pages in length. Barr originally presented the report as completely clearing President Donald Trump of any wrongdoing.

"If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller stated. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime."

Mueller also "made very clear that no matter what they discovered on obstruction, the overriding principle that a president could not be indicted prevailed," CNN reports. "Those Justice Department guidelines, which say a sitting president has temporary immunity from federal prosecution, date back to the Nixon era and were reaffirmed in the Clinton administration."

The special counsel further stressed that Congress has the right and the power to hold Trump accountable if he and his administration indeed committed obstruction of justice during Mueller's probe. Mueller added that he and his staff were clearly charged with investigating obstruction, contrary to Trump's assertion that they were on a "witch hunt."

Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said Congress will pursue the matter. "Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the president, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies, and other wrongdoing of President Trump - and we will do so," he said. "No one, not even the president of the United States, is above the law."

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders contended that the report clears Trump of obstruction, even though Mueller did not say that.

Mueller said he does not wish to testify before Congress. He would have nothing to say that is not in the report, he explained. He also declined to take questions from reporters after making his resignation announcement.

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